Wings
by DumplingSoup
Summary: Marichat one shot. Late to meet Ladybug, Chat Noir runs into Marinette. But instead of the Marinette he knows and remembers as Adrien, this one is completely different.


Chat Noir was late. Not that it bothered him all that much, but being punctual was usually his thing (give or take a few exceptions). Today, however, was the day that he could not be late and the thought alone was making him more paranoid than he thought was possible. Every little noise started him. His head would snap in that direction no matter what he was doing—running, jumping, or gliding through the air—just to see if by the small of possibilities that it was Ladybug—his lady.

He stepped on the rid of the roof, bending down on knee to talk a look at the surrounding city of Paris. _Late_ , he thought with a shake of his head, _is an understatement_. The best he could hope for was that he'd be in time to help Ladybug out with something, that perhaps the fight had dragged on and was beyond hard for just one person to do.

But his hopes were crushed as he walked through the darkened streets. A few lamps provided streetlights where the moon didn't. Chat stopped in the middle of the street after a minute of walking and sighed, scratching the back of his head. It was Ladybug after all, he had to remind himself. She was more than capable of handling herself without him despite the pricks that stabbed his heart at the thought.

There was no point in him being here any longer if Ladybug had already finished the job. Before he was about to leave, Chat looked up to the sky. He closed his eyes, letting his body relax as he inhaled the Paris air. A voice pulled him out of his thoughts and the angry tone had made him flinch. But the small figure standing in front of him made his eyebrows shoot up.

Marinette stood only a few feet away from him. Her feet were spread out as she leaned forward to point at him. It was her face, however, that caught Chat's attention the most. She looked mad. Seething like she held a grudge against him. It was completely different than the warm welcome he had received last time and he took a hesitant step backwards at her unusual actions.

"Do you always point fingers and yell at your residential superhero?" Chat joked, holding up his hands in mock surrender.

Clearly not impressed, Marinette rolled her eyes. The sound of something clanking against the ground pulled both of them from the other. On the ground were the contents of what used to be inside Marinette's bag. Her eyes grew wide as she gasped, fumbling as she bent down to try to pick everything up.

The first thing she grabbed was her phone, scraping away the damp mud that stuck to the screen she was inspecting for cracks. She didn't seem to notice as Chat Noir bent down and grabbed one of her books until he held it out to her.

"Need a hand?" he asked with a full length grin across his face.

She paused when her fingers tightened around the textbook, snapping her eyes back to Chat. He tilted his head at her bewildered look and asked if everything was alright. His voice must have woken her up, he thought, because she had snapped out of her daze and mumbled a response as she went about picking up more books.

"What are you doing here?" Marinette asked suddenly.

Chat looked up to her as he grabbed the last book on the ground. She hadn't bothered to hide her rather unsubtle anger that leaked through. Needless to say he'd caught onto it, cautiously reaching the book out to her. He wondered what her reaction would be, if it was possible she just really didn't like him and his presence was the sole reason for the stormcloud over her head.

She grabbed the last book from Chat Noir, shoving hastily into her bag. Chat cocked his head, examining Marinette quietly. Judging by her expression, she still wasn't happy with him, but he had no idea what he did to even make her that angry in the first place. When she finally looked up after a moment of silence, Chat blinked, shrugging as he folded his arms against his chest remembering that she'd just asked him a question.

"I manage my time well," he said smoothly.

"Hmm. Really?"

Marinette raised her eyebrow and shook her head as he let out a breath through her nose. She didn't believe him, that much Chat was certain of. It didn't seem to bother her to make her emotions clear.

"Yes," Chat exclaimed, clapping his hands together for the full effect, "and since I have enough time and I did say last time we met that I'd be your knight, Princess, I'll even escort you home."

He bent over, reaching out his hand to her. She looked hesitant for a moment to take it, but nonetheless reached her hand out for him. Chat winked as he brought her to her feet in front of him and laughed when she easily brushed him off.

"Not going to whisk me off today?" Marinette asked.

"I thought we take a detour tonight and walk."

The only response he got was a shrug from her.

His eyes followed her, focused on the movements of her shoulderblades, the swinging of her arms, the slight hop to her step. And as he watched her, he couldn't help the smile that came on his face.

Despite it being late at night and a school night to top it all off, she didn't lose her vitality, the spark inside of her that made her shine in even the darkest of nights. She giggled as she talked to him and Chat couldn't help himself feeling happy in return that she wasn't mad at him anymore.

In spite of walking in front, she always seemed to turn around in some way and look at Chat. It wasn't even anything important they were talking about, yet Chat felt like this was the single most important conversation he ever had. He felt so _involved_ , so brought to life by her teasing, friendly tone.

Every word she spoke, he sucked in. Locked it away in his memory so it wouldn't have any chance at escape. Someday he knew that this memory might help him. Bring light into his darkness. Her words, they gave him wings. And he wanted to soar high into the sky with them like she made him feel, but he feared too much about the weight of reality and of falling.

.

He realized along the way that he liked being around Marinette—watching her, studying her, teasing her. But her voice. He had to like that the most. It wasn't just the melodic sound she made when she talked in sentences that weren't a complete mess of incoherent nonsense like she usually was with Adrian, but the things she said, the confidence with hints of added playfulness made his whole body pull towards her curious for more.

Marinette was his magnet and no matter how many times he reminded himself that she wasn't Ladybug, he could do nothing against the tight hold she had over his heart in that moment. Because, just for now, she was the thing that he so desperately needed.

But the thing that got to him the most was that she was was pulling him in feet first without even trying. She was just being Marinette, and she was growing on him faster than he thought could be humanly possible.

With every movement she made, he could feel a piece of his heart being dyed her color. Flying in the wind until it was was wrapped around her finger like the rest of the pieces she was stealing.

Chat revealed in the feeling.

For the meantime, there wasn't Ladybug to think about, no school, no parents, or expectations that crushed him from the inside out. Perhaps that's why Marinette's presence lifted his spirits. She treated him like a dear friend. Someone precious. He already knew she was a good person who stuck up for the people around her. Always trying to keep peace. A good leader.

But there was so much more to that. It only scratched the surface of the spectacular person before him. He found it amazing what he was learning about this Marinette compared to what Adrien could. Hell, Adrian was lucky to get an audible sentence out of her! She was timid, reserved, and (if he was being honest) a bit of a mess around him. Around Chat Noir, though, she was energetic, feisty, open, inviting and friendly. It so much different yet so much the same that his head was spinning thinking about it.

"Look over there, Chat."

Marinette's voice pulled Chat from his thoughts of her. He glanced to the direction that Marinette was pointing and his mouth fell slightly open.

Beautiful could not begin to describe the scene before him. The river sparkled, glowed with a radiating light that bounced from the moon and the lights from the bridge over it. It was like little glowing lanterns floating through the river.

"It's beautiful," he said.

His eyes still scanned the river's surface, absorbed at the sight. Marinette leaned forward, hands entwined behind her as she looked at him. A grin was on her face when Chat turned back to her. She stood up, placing her fingers on either side of her mouth.

"Smile, silly kitty." She nudged him with her elbow in her arm when he walked next to her. "We're almost there, so shouldn't you be delighted you can finally go?"

"Who said I wanted to go?" he asked.

Her eyes instantly snapped to his. He'd gotten her full attention, but wasn't sure what to do with it. Inside, her eyes swirled with cautiousness and question. It made him regret for a moment saying that. Why did he say that? _Because what do I have to go back to_ , he thought, _a nearly empty house?_ She distracted him from his problems, and quite frankly he hoped that _he'd_ grown on her enough that she'd want to talk to him more after this. This Marinette was so fascinating, so captivating that he couldn't let the opportunity slip through his fingers. The only other time he'd be able to see her is with Adrien. Everyone and their brother knew how'd that turn out.

The alert in her eyes finally died down after a few seconds and when Marinette frowned in exasperation, he gave her wink as he laughed. Before either of them could continue the conversation, however, a drop of rain that fell in front of them caught their attention.

Then another fell.

And another.

Then, all of a sudden, millions of raindrops started falling at once. The heavy kind that soaked everything around in seconds.

Now that the rain was pouring, there was no way that anyone would be out. Certainly not looking around, and Chat found this the perfect opportunity. He hustled over to Marinette, wrapping an arm around her waist. She looked up at him, a question in her eyes.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Helping you."

"I can get there myself."

"I know." He winked again, tightening his grip around Marinette. "You should learn to be a little more selfish, Princess. Sometimes that's all it takes to make someone happy."

-xxx-

They landed on the balcony with a soft thump. Marinette was pressed snugly against Chat Noir who held her in an almost possessive manner against himself. He looked at her, his eyebrows pushed together as if in pain, before grinning and setting her flat on her feet.

Marinette pulled at a strand of her hair, sighing when she saw how wet it already was despite five minutes being shaved off the time it took to get there.

"You look fine." Chat swiped a piece of Marinette's damp hair away from her face. "If it's any condolence, you look really ap _peeling_ to me."

Marinette scrunched her face up and Chat shrugged. He bent down, scooping his fingers in his own fingers. She went to pull her hand back, but Chatt tightened his grip.

"As an offer of your thanks," he said, "allow me this one request."

When Marinette didn't pull back, Chat closed his eyes as he kissed her. His lips lingered on her flesh longer than just a peck, and when he pulled back, he smiled a toothy grin at her. She was blushing, and he couldn't' have found it cuter. He bowed, winking at her just before he jumped off her roof.

Sure, she might not be a Ladybug, but there was something about her that he couldn't quite put his finger on. She was special in her own way. At the thought of the Marinette he'd seen earlier, curiosity and something else—something deeper—burned inside of him as he soared through the skies.

\- The end -

 **:~(Author's Note)~:**

 **If you would like to read more Ladybug works from me, please head over to my tumblr (dumplingfanfics) to read drabbles that I only post there :3**


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